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Determinants of success in native and non-native listening comprehension: an individual differences approach

Journal

Language Learning

Volume | Issue number

62 | Suppl. 2

Pages (from-to)

49-78

Document type

Article

Faculty

Faculty of Humanities (FGw)

Institute

Amsterdam Center for Language and Communication (ACLC)

Abstract

The goal of this study was to explain individual differences in both native and non-native listening comprehension; 121 native
and 113 non-native speakers of Dutch were tested on various linguistic and nonlinguistic cognitive skills thought to underlie
listening comprehension. Structural equation modeling was used to identify the predictors of individual differences in listening
comprehension and to test for differences between the native and non-native participants. Listening comprehension for native
speakers was found to be a function of knowledge of the language and the efficiency with which one can process linguistic
information, while listening comprehension for non-native speakers was a function of knowledge and reasoning ability. Working
Memory did not explain unique variance in listening comprehension in either group. Differences in experience with the Dutch
language are likely to explain the observed pattern of results for both groups.

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